Humility holds the key to the city

Without humility we never embrace impossibility. We live with limitations, sometimes imposed, often chosen. Without humility our lives drift towards mediocrity. Without humility we hide our light under a bushel and our cities never understand the uniqueness of their design or their significance in bringing life.

Humility holds the key to the city.

This is not the humility of inferiority. Not the humility of timidity. Not the humility that looks like and lives under oppression. Not the humility of insecurity that causes us to hide our solutions. No. None of those great pretenders offer life to their bearers or bring light to their nations.

We seek a different humility.

We seek an alternative pathway from the false humility that mars identity and leaves cities estranged from divine reality. We seek the humility of heaven; the humility that courageously embraces the view from heaven and relentlessly postures its life and work to see that reality expressed locally.

There is a fresh humility engulfing the church. Hopefully it will swallow her whole.

It is the humility secure in its identity, awakened to its authority; humility that has clarity about its assignment to awaken humanity, families and cities to their Father's joy.

Yes there is a fresh humility engulfing the church.

It leads her to move beyond the building and embrace the movement of God in the city. It is the humility of walking in uncertain pathways for the sake of the city. It is the humility that is clothed with vulnerability as we embrace the vulnerable and operate outside our expertise, in the uncertainty of compassionate terrain.

It is the humility of the slaughtered Lamb.

Aslan is on the move but he looks like a slaughtered Lamb.

"See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’ Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne." @ Revelation 5:5-6

Authority and humility are intermingled, indistinguishable.

Both together, always together. What God has joined together let no man separate.

When the Church practices humility without authority the city can never enter its destiny. But the Lion roars over such a community reminding her of her image, her authority.

When the Church practices authority without humility the city lives in slavery. But the Lamb comes to such a Church and reminds her of her image as freedom bearer - a life restorer through laying down her own life.

When the Church practices authority with humility the city experiences fresh capacity and true prosperity. And the King comes speaking, 'arise shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord is rising upon you.'

I looked into the face of humility and the face of courage and saw that they look the same, indistinguishable but clearly identifiable as the image of the Lion and the Lamb.